Lakeland Life Picture Library - Images of Life, Industry & Traditions in the English Lake District

Crafts & Industries

Introduction

Industry isn't usually associated with the Lake District. However before the invention of the steam engine, the areas fast flowing streams and rivers were able to power water wheels, which in turn supplied the power to grind corn and drive machinery to manufacture goods. See the Industrial Archaeology section, for industries which have ceased to exist or where the craftsman died say thirty years ago.

Wetheriggs Pottery

Situated on a seam of red clay at Clifton Dykes, south of Penrith, the company opened for business in 1855. In 1973 the pottery was declared an Ancient Monument and is today still in production.

2.9.1.10 Wetheriggs Pottery

2.9.1.7 Potter

2.9.1.5 Potter

2.9.1.9 Potter's hands.

Woodland Industries

Lakeland's covering of coppiced woodlands, now much reduced, have provided over the centuries the raw material for a number of industries. Today the glory days of these industries are long past, nevertheless most, except for the Bobbin Industry still provide a small amount of employment.

Coppice Woodlands

10.3.1 Coppiced Woodland

10.3.2

10.3.3 Coppiced Woodland

10.3.4 Cut Coppice

10.3.5 Cut Coppice

10.3.6

10.3.7 Coppiced logs

Bark Peeling

Coppiced oak is cut in the Spring/early summer and the bark peeled. The bark is then used in the traditional method of tanning leather. There are now only two traditional hand tanneries in England. See also Industrial Archaeology.

2.1.1.50 Cutting Oak Coppice

2.1.1.48 Cutting Oak Coppice

2.1.1.12 Bill Hogarth

2.1.1.17 Peeling oak bark

2.1.1.4

2.1.1.104

2.1.1.106 Peeling oak bark.

2.1.1.105 Peeling oak bark

2.1.1.103 Peeling oak bark

2.1.1.30 Bark Peeler's knife.

2.1.1.61 Bark stacked to dry

2.1.1.71 Bundles of bark

2.1.1.72 Bundles of oak bark

Swill Making

A swill or oak spelk basket is the traditional Lakeland basket. The raw material is oak poles purchased from the Bark Peeler which is riven, boiled split and peeled into layers which are then woven into a basket.
For images in B&W of craftsmen who have since died, see the ''Industrial Archaeology'' section.

2.1.2.10 A 'mare'.

2.1.3.12

2.1.3.16

2.1.3.3

2.1.3.2

2.1.3.5

2.1.3.14

2.1.3.21

Besoms

Also known as Sweep Besoms, or Witches Brooms they are often used for sweeping autumn leaves from lawns. It is made in different forms with various materials throughout the world. In the Lake District they are made from Silver Birch twigs know as 'chats' and the handle is usually Hazel.

2.1.5.4

2.1.5.9

2.1.5.8

2.1.5.6 Fixing the handle.

2.1.5.19

2.1.5.20

2.1.5.10 Using a besom.

Hurdles

Hurdles which are made of Hazel are now very popular with gardeners as can be seen on many of the TV gardening programmes.

2.1.6.14

2.1.6.13

2.1.6.15

2.1.6.26 Splitting Hazel.

2.1.6.24

2.1.6.5 Weaving.

2.1.6.4 Weaving.

2.1.6.25

2.1.6.27 Weaving.

2.1.6.7

2.1.6.22 Hurdle.

Charcoal Burning.

In the past Charcoal Burning was an important industry in the Lake District and a source of employment in the rural areas. The charcoal was used, before the invention of coke, to smelt the locally available iron ore. In recent years the industry has enjoyed a new lease of life. It now uses the kiln method and supplies the barbeque market. As it uses coppice wood which is a renewable resource, it is more enviromentally friendly than charcoal supplied from the Far East.

2.1.2.27 The Kiln Method.

2.1.2.36

2.1.2.37

2.1.2.6 Lighting the Kiln.

2.1.2.46 Burn in progress.

2.1.2.47 Burn in progress.

2.1.2.48

2.1.2.16 The finished product.

2.1.2.22

Chair Bodging.

Making greenwood chairs without using any powered tools, in the traditional manner.

2.1.8.3

2.1.8.5

2.1.8.6

2.1.8.32

2.1.8.31

2.1.8.33

2.1.8.34

2.1.8.36 Tools for the job.

2.1.8.7

2.1.8.19 Trimming.

2.1.8.17

2.1.8.9

2.1.8.12

2.1.8.22 Trimming.

2.1.8.38 Spokeshave & mare.

2.1.8.23 Tools.

2.1.8.25 Using a pole lathe.

2.1.8.37 Chair Bodger.

2.1.8.29

Making Tent Pegs.

Walter Lloyd making wooden tent pegs for marquise, from coppiced Ash.

2.1.12.4

2.1.12.2

2.1.12.5

2.1.12.7

Making Hay Rakes.

Making wooden hay rakes. Not a large market, but one of the few families of craftsmen in the country still making the traditional rake.

2.8.3

2.8.5

2.8.6

2.8.7

2.8.8

2.8.9

G9.10

F43.9 Various rake types

F51.10

F51.11

Woodland Craft Training Courses

Various organisations inclucing 'Cumbria Woodlands' run training courses for people who wish to gain some skill in a particular craft or who perhaps wish to gain the basic skills to eventually learn a living at Charcoal Burning etc.

2.1.9.4 Basket Making

2.1.9.1

2.1.9.5

2.1.9.6

2.1.9.2

2.1.9.7

2.1.9.8

2.1.9.9

2.1.9.16

2.1.9.17

2.1.9.18

2.1.9.11

2.1.9.12

Forestry

Modern Machinery being used for the Forestry Commission on Whitbarrow Scar.

2.6.4

2.6.5

2.6.6

2.6.3

2.6.1

2.6.2

Drystone Walling.

For photographs of fine examples of drystone walls, see the dedicated section. This has photographs of fine examples of sections of walling. It also has images of stiles, hog holes, flag walls, gate stoups, etc.

2.2.1.1

2.2.1.3

2.2.1.2

2.2.1.6

2.2.1.7

2.2.1.5

2.2.1.13

2.2.1.14

2.2.1.15

Repairing Footpaths.

National Trust workers repairing badly erroded footpaths near Grasmere.

2.2.2.1

2.2.2.2

2.2.2.3

2.2.2.4

Peat Cutting

Peat Cutting is still carried out in parts of the Lake District.

2.4.5

2.4.6

2.4.12

2.4.7

2.4.8

2.4.13

2.4.9

G27.15 Peat Cutter.

Hedging

Hedging or Laying a Hedge. A Hedge like a drystone wall provides a stock prove barrier and shelter for stock. It also provides nesting sites for birds and homes for small mammals, which in turn provides food for hawks.

2.3.1 Hedging.

2.3.8 Laying a Hedge.

2.3.11 Hedging.

2.3.12 Hedger.

D27.8 Hedger.

D27.10 Fred Coward.

Quarries.

Quarrying is an industry which has been carried out in the Lake District since Roman times. Slate used in a section of Hadrian's Wall has been proved to be from a quarry on Coniston Old Man. Slate quarried in Lakeland is usually green, there are various shades. However slate from Burlington Quarry is a blue grey.

2.12.1.2 Burlington Quarry.

2.12.1.3 Burlington

2.12.1.4 Burlington

2.12.1.7

2.12.1.9

2.12.1.8

2.12.1.11

2.12.3.1 Elterwater Quarry.

2.12.2.4 Lakeland Slate.

2.12.2.1

2.12.2.3 Circular Saw.

2.12.2.2 Lakeland Slate.

2.12.1.6 Burlington Quarry.

2.12.1.12 Burlington Quarry.

2.12.1.15 Burlington Quarry.

F61.9 Circ Saw, Burlington.

Cockling, Morecambe Bay.

Flookburgh Fishermen cockling on Morecambe Bay.

2.5.1.9 Flookburgh Fishermen.

11.9.1 Morecambe Bay

2.5.1.7

2.5.1.10

2.5.1.4 Cockling.

2.5.1.3

2.5.1.1 Cockle Picking.

2.5.1.5

2.5.1.11 Cockles.

2.5.1.6 Cockles.

Shepherd's Crooks

A craftsman making shepherd's crooks.
Photographs of individual crook's.
Crooks can be made in various ways. Using a hazel shank with a horned handle (made from rams horn) or all wood.
At Lakeland Shows there is usually a Shepherd's Crook competition. There are various classes, plain crooks,(all wood or horned handle) ornamental crooks, wood or horn.
To see crooks on display at a show go to the 'Sports & Shows' page. To see crooks in use go to 'Agriculture' and look at the Fell Farming section. Also see Industrial Archaeology page.

2.11.2